Unique H2O Vortex in One New MOF Material Strengthening C3H6 Adsorption and Unprecedented Purification from C2H4/C3H8/C3H6 Mixtures

Abstract The gradual separation of the naphtha steam cracking product (propane/propylene/ethylene, C3H8/C3H6/C2H4) to obtain highly pure C3H6 is of great significance as it provides an alternative process for this important industrial feedstock. However, developing adsorbents to meet the efficient separation and purification application remains challenging. A water coordination‐decorated metal–organic framework (MOF, Cd‐dtzip‐H2O) material is reported. Interestingly, water molecules cooperate with the framework to build a water vortex and significantly affect the preferential adsorption for C3H6. At 298 K and 100 kPa, the loading of C3H6 in the material is 112.0 cm3 g−1, equivalent to 1.7 and 2.0 times of C3H8 and C2H4, respectively. Experimental breakthroughs show that the material efficiently separates C3H6/C3H8 and C3H6/C2H4 under different pressures. Meanwhile, it also unprecedentedly achieves the one‐step separation of C2H4/C3H8/C3H6 mixtures yielding high‐purity C3H6 (99.9%) and C2H4 (99.95%) products with the productivities of 38.2 and 12.7 L kg−1, respectively.